TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 9, 2002

Andre Agassi

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Andre, please.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I suppose you always think you can play better, but I thought it was a very high-quality match. I thought Calleri was hitting the ball very well, big off both sides, serving very good. It boiled down to just a few points each set. So it was a good test for me.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I don't think you ever need it to be that close, no (smiling). But I think that if there's any questions for me left this week, today helped answer those. And every match gets tougher from here, so it was good for my concentration and intensity today that I can carry that now into tomorrow.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, this is not getting any easier, you know. These guys play so well, especially on the clay. You know, I'm going to have to work hard. I'm going to have to play a lot of balls, wait for my chance and be patient. But he's been playing really well and has a lot of big game.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, it's not -- no. Clay is a different mentality, you know. You have to not get, you know, too excited because quickly it can change. You have to just work the whole tournament. So it is good. No, it's good for me. But tomorrow's another day. I'm too experienced now to get too excited.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, there's always a difference. I think that's what makes -- one of the things that makes tennis difficult - every day is a new environment, new elements to deal with. And I think this matters depending on who you're playing. Some players, you want it to be dryer and faster and slipperier. Some players, you want it to be heavier. So you play different players, you play them in different -- with different elements, and they all have a big impact.

ANDRE AGASSI: (Smiling) It's hard to say. I mean, I think under normal conditions, I think Al would play better in very heavy conditions. You know, he hits a lot of spin on the ball and moves well. And if he has time, you know - the best chance is if he doesn't have as much time. But, you know, I don't know. I'm playing much better now than I've been playing on the clay for a long time, and I'm up to the challenge - whatever it is. So tomorrow will be good for my confidence if I can play a good match.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I suppose it's all of the above. I mean, you can't ever really count on any result out here anymore; you have to go out there and earn it. And I think that the top guys losing in the same day was probably a bit more coincidence than anything. But when you've been out here a while, you realize how difficult it is every day and how little you can take for granted. None of the matches I saw yesterday, I thought, were going to be one-sided. It's amazing, knowing the game as well as I do, playing it for so many years, how it's still difficult for me to pick the winners.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, it would mean a lot to win here. It would be a huge accomplishment. You know, I had championship point 13 years ago...(Smiling). It's a long time (laughter). So just to be here in the thick of it, competing and having the chance to win would be all I can ask for. And to actually do it would be a huge accomplishment. I'd like to win here. I'd love to win here.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I don't know. I think most people here would have picked me to lose early. Of course I'm in Rome, this always happens. So my history hasn't been so good here.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, now I feel good. But, no, I can't say it's, you know, "favorite." I like my chances because I believe in myself. But you have to go do it. And in my own mind, it's so far to the finals. It's just tomorrow I'm worried about. Then tomorrow it's really every point that I'm worried about.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, it's great to see. I hope they have a great clay court season, especially because of Davis Cup being on the dirt. I think James is one of the best athletes out there, and I think Andy has real big game. I think both of them have a lot to look forward to. If they do well on the clay, it's only going to help their confidence and their game on the other surfaces. This is a big opportunity for them to establish themselves for the whole year.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I think today was very hard both, but it's only two sets. It's okay. You know, you play -- you prepare for it. I'll be very ready tomorrow.